Henry Reed’s adaptation of Hamlet, reduced to an 80 minute running time and with just Horatio & Hamlet remaining from the cast of characters, is perfectly suited for the intimate auditorium of the Barons Court Theatre.
It started life as a 60 minute show at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre in 2022, and has now been reworked for this new production. Alex Dean and Joseph Ryan-Hughes return to repeat their roles.
The set, by Laura Mugford, is intriguing, with a chessboard, a lamp in the shape of a rat, photos on the wall, a dilapidated sofa, piles of books and comics (Giles cartoons, the Beano), a mug in the shape of a pig.
All suggest elements of the original play while presenting a modern setting in which our two friends are found in Hamlet’s student flat. He’s clearly undergoing significant mental distress after the death of his father, hallucinating under the influence of drugs and instability.
If Hamlet is the manic and unpredictable side of the pair, Horatio is calm and watchful, concerned and sympathetic, but disturbed by his inability to do anything to help.
Reed’s adaptation chops up the Shakespeare text, dropping some scenes and characters altogether, with those that remain having their lines repurposed. Other than ‘To be or not to be’, Hamlet’s soliloquies are directed to Horatio.
As you arrive to the performance, you may be surprised to be offered a knitted ‘Yorick’ for purchase but yes, in Horatio & Hamlet that venerable jester is indeed presented as an apple, his features roughly formed on stage each night.
There’s a sense of Hamlet having a longing for Horatio, as recounted by the latter (Ophelia’s sewing closet scene). Horatio later heads to the supermarket for herbs, representing the flowers of disassociation.
Horatio & Hamlet has a gloomy inevitability about it, as Hamlet seems determined to bring about his final farewell. His grief and imbalance is hard to watch but well-played by Ryan-Hughes, who captures a fractured mind (‘a noble mind is here o’erthrown’).
Along the way, Reed, who also directs, finds humour in the story, as the friends watch The Players on TV, playfight, and smoke from a bong under a blanket (careful if you are in the facing front row as the (harmless) smoke will reach you!).
The goal as stated in the programme is to make Hamlet ‘accessible and exciting’, and this show certainly presents a different slant, with Horatio friend and perhaps, unconsciously, enabler.
As well as the repurposing of the original text, new speeches have been constructed for Dean’s measured Horatio by assembling text from the first and second quarto version of Hamlet. It works well, adding a layer of discomfort for us in the audience who know the original play.
Not everything is completely successful in this version – the significance of the King’s murder is lost, and the graveside scene briefly mentions Ophelia’s burial with no context.
However, Just a Regular House and Series2 Theatre Company have brought a fresh perspective to the familiar. It is definitely worth your time.
***.5
Horatio & Hamlet continues at Barons Court Theatre until 12 Oct, with details here.
Photos provided by Joe Hughes
Barons Court Theatre needs your help! Hammersmith and Fulham council have issued an improvement notice for the seats and risers to be replaced for safety reasons. With over £23,000 to raise by 31 Oct, there is a real possibility the venue may close if the amount if not raised.
This must not be allowed to happen. Fringe venues such as Barons Court Theatre are essential for the development of new talent, as evidenced by the Reboot Festival.
You can help by sponsoring a seat (£500), purchasing one of the original seats (£150), or making a donation of any size to the seats fund. For full details please visit the theatre website.